Smooth surface press plate



Jan. 2, 1962 D. A. FREEMAN 3,015,176

SMOOTH SURFACE PRESS PLATE Filed May l. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 22 Z4 21252@ 20 is! v7/ viv//vry//liwr/lw/y/MWA /f/ Jan. 2, 1962 D. A. FREEMAN 3,015,176

SMOOTH SURFACE PRESS PLATE Filed May l. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E5 j l gli L u tes arent @there .3,@l5,l7h Patented Jan. 2, i962 3,015,176 i SMTH SURFACE PRESLS PLATE avitl A. Freeman, Drake Hotel, llll E. Walton Place, tChicago, lll. Filed May 1, 1956, Ser. No. 581,943@ 2 Claims. (lll. 3ll66 This invention relates to a press plate having a smooth surface for use in various types of garment presses and the like.

Pressing a fabric or a garment made of a fabric in- -volves the application of heat and pressure with or without moisture for the purpose of eliminating wrinkles or to impart sharp creases. Certain fabrics such as silk, satin and other fabrics, particularly synthetic fabrics, are designed to have a glossy surface or sheen. ln pressing such fabrics, not only must care be exercised in respect to temperature but it is essential that the original sheen of the material be maintained or restored.

Moisture is always desirable in pressing and may Vbe in the form of steam. ln such instances, it is most easily and advantageously obtained at the pressing region by having at least one or more of the pressing suifaces which contact the fabric permeable to steam. ln la steamthrough-the-head press, opposing buck and head members are provided with one or more steam permeable surfaces, one of the surfaces being sufficiently resilient to grip the garment or fabric to be pressed. Steam lat a pressure of between about 40 and 1l() lbs. per square inch is generally available in the press head of such a garment press. Frequently a vacuum in the buck acts on the permeable buck surface to suck air or air and steam through the fabric being pressed.

The steam permeable pressing members which are presently available have a rough surface so that a glossy fabric will be adversely alfected during pressing. In an attempt to avoid undesirable effects on glossy fabrics, it has been the practice to press glossy fabrics in a hot head press, this press having smooth steam heated surfaces impermeable to steam. When such smooth impermeable surfaces are used on pressing machines, the temperature of the pressing surface is apt to be undesirably high.

This is because the live steam is directly in contact with the reverse side of the pressing surface and there is no steam distributing chamber between the steam chamber and the pressing surface. In addition to the disadvantage of having an undesirably high temperature in a hot head press, to obtain proper conditioning of the fabric to ybe pressed, it is desirable that means be provided for introducing moisture during the handling of a glossy fabric. This is usually difcul-t.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a pressing member having a surface which is sufficiently smooth so that there is no substantially visible eect upon a smooth surfaced fabric and no damage is possible to the glossiest of fabrics, Said pressing surface at the same time being permeable to steam so that a uniform and satisfactory distribution of steam at a satisfactory ternperature may be attained.

The new press plate may be used with various kinds and types of steam diusing means. Such steam diffusing means may include various kinds of baille structures and porous media as metal mesh. A detachable unit including the new press plate and a steam diffuser member iinparts operational flexibility to a steam-through-the-head garment press. An important feature of the present invention is the combination of the new press plate and a liner on a garment press in combination with a porous or steam permeable sheet of heat insulating material. Such insulating material may consist of asbestos suitably treated with resin or may consist of a fiber glass.

In order that the invention may be understood, it will now be explained in connection with the drawings Wherein exemplary embodiments are illustrated, it being understood that variations may be made within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan View of a press plate embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the press plate illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail on line 3 3 of FIG. 4 of the press plate embodying the present invention together with a steam diffuser plate such as might be used on a garment press head.

FlG. 4 is a plan View of the steam dilfuser plate shown in FIG. 3.

FlG. 5 is a sectional detail on line '5--5 of FIG. 6 of a combined steam dilfuser plate such as illustrated in FlG. 3 and a modified press plate embodying the present invention.

FlG. 6 is a plan view of the press plate of FlG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional detail of a garment press head provided with a heat insulating steam diffuser member and new press plate.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the garment. press head of FIG. 7, various layers being removed to illustrate the construction.

The press plate formingl the subject matter of the present invention may have a wide variety of uses and is particularly useful to provide a pressing surface on the head of a garment press. As is Well known, a garment press is provided with a buck having a resilient or padded surface upon which a garment to be pressed may be disposed. Disposed above the buckis a head which may be moved on suitable hinges so that the head may come down upon the buck. The head includes a steam distributing chamber adapted to be connected to a Suitable source of steam usually at a pressure of from about 4() to ll() lbs. per square inch. The head includes suitable valve means either automatic or manual for permitting steam to flow into the steam distributing chamber when the head is swung down upon the buck. The pressing surface associated with the head may consist of the press plate to be hereinafter disclosed. Suitable means for diffusing steam supplied by the steam chamber to the press plate may be provided.

The steam distributing chamber usually includes a lrelatively heavy steel plate provided with small openings of the order of from about Mi to about G" in diameter spaced about an inch apart. Such a perforated plate separates the steam chamber from suitable steam diffusing means. Steam diflusers of various types may be used in connection with the new press plate. For example, the diffusing means may consist of a plate having suitably arranved perforations or may consist of wire mesh or other means for diffusing the steam throughout the effective area of the press plate. Y

The new press plate consists of suitably shaped plate lll. Plate ll) as illustrated in HG. 1 has a shape such as might be used in lthe head of a garment press and in practice such a plate will have the pressing surface generally concave, as a complement to the convex shape of the surface of the buck. Press plate itl may have* suitable means not illustrated for attaching the plate to the head. Such means, for eXarnple, may include coil springs, metal bands, rope or cord or other means. Press plate lll may be attached to a garment pressing head either permanently or temporarily. `Press plate l@ consists of a relatively thin sheet of metal, plastic, ceramic, glass or the like. 'the press plate must be of a material which is resistant to heat, moisture and corrosion and have suflicient mechanical strength to function satisfactorily.

amarre As an example, such metals as stainless steel or Monel may be used, these metals being inherently corrosionresistant. It is, of course, possible to use any metal such as iron or aluminum and coat the metal with a surface having the desired resistance characteristics to heat, water and corrosion. rfhus the coating materials used may be heat-resistant paints compounded from silicone bases, polyester resin bases, fluorinated hydrocarbon bases such as rl`eflon, epoxyl resin bases such as Epom certain resins or varnishes and such thermosetting materials as Bakelite resin, and the like. Such a coating is indicated by 17 in FIGURE 3.

Press plate has smooth press surface 11 and is provided with apertures 12 extending through the press plate. Apertures 12 are small enough so that the nest of the `smooth surfaced fabrics will have its Vsurface pressed without substantially impairing the sheen thereof. in particular, I have found that a press plate having at least about 125 apertures per square inch with each aperture having a diameter ranging up to about .036, with a pre ferred range of between about A020 and about .027 provides a highly effective pressing surface. The number of such apertures may go up as high as about 6G() per square inch. A press plate having apertures of the diameter specified and having the density of between about 125 and about 600 per square inch has been found to be particularly effective in garment presses using steam pressures up to as high as 110 lbs. per `square inch' and higher.

if press plate it) is of metal, it is perforated by suitable die pins passing through from one side to the other side of the plate. Press plate 1t), if of metal, will have the perforating pins moving in one direction, say upwardly of the plate shown in FIG. 2 with a pin engaging the metal on surface 11. As the pin passes through the plate, rear surface 14 of theplate will have annular burr 15 formed around each aperture. The entry or" a perforating pin on side 11 of the plate will cause the metal around each aperture to be rounded at 16. Annular burr 15 on side 14 of the press plate where the periorating pin emerges may be removed or not, as desired. Preferably the burr is retained. Y

if press plate 1u is of metal which has already been perforated and where it is desired to coat the metal with Y a heat-resistant plastic or other material 17, it is essential that the passages through the metal be maintained. If the press plate metal is perforated prior to the application of heatsresistant coating 17 of plastic or other material, then an air blast may be used to clear the apertures of any material tending to block the sane. It is also possible to apply the coating of heat-resistant plastic or other material to a smooth imperforate metal plate and then perforate the metal and coating as a unit. A plastic plate may be formed with apertures or the apertures may be formed as in a metal plate. Where the pressing plate is robe made of a ceramic, it is possible to punch openings through the material forming this ceramic prior to the baking thereof.

A press plate having a smooth surface and a large number of ne perforations maintains itself clean by virtue of the action of the steam issuing through the apertures. Occasionally a press plate of this Vtype may have to be removed from the` head of the garment press and thoroughly cleaned. Where the press plate is of metal, it is possible to use suitable cleaning solutions or to -direct a high pressure blast of some cleaning material to cause the same to pass through the apertures. If the press plate is of ceramic or glass or of a thermosetting plastic as Bakelite, and is relatively inert to poverful cleaning solutions, then such plate may be readily cleaned by soaking in suitable cleaning solutions.

The new press plate has such a large number of passages therethrough as to result in a substantial drop of steam pressure in passing through the press plate. Consequently, a `substantial drop in the temperature at the pressing surface will occur. The number of apertures and the diameter of each aperture will have a bearing upon the drop in pressure. In practice, the press plate may have a thickness of the order of about .030", although plates thicker or thinner than this may be used.

While the new press plate may be used without a steam diffusing means, some steam diffusing means in combination with the new press plate is preferred. Thus referring to FIGS. 3 and '4, a detail of a steam diffusing plate and press plate cooperating in the head of a garment press is illustrated. Steam diffusing plate 20 has generally smooth surface 21 and irregularly shaped surface 22. Diffuser plate 2li has arches 24 formed, such arches being laterally offset from plate 20 so that the metal is sheared or broken to form openings 25 and 26 at the ends of an arch. The arch is offset more than the thick* ness of diffuser plate 2t). Diffuser plate 2t) may be of metal such as aluminum or any suitable plastic material. Arches 24 are sufficiently small and numerous enough so that the high steam pressure existing on one side of the diffuser plate will be reduced after passage through to the other side of the diffuser plate. The passages through diffuser plate 2li are tortuous and prevent straight line passage of steam through plate 20. The passages through plate Ztl are generally coarser than through press plate 10. As an example, plate 2t) may have about 60 arches per square inch, each arch lying within a circle having about 1/32 diameter.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, press plate 10 is disposed against irregular side 22 of the steam4 diffuser. This however, may be changed so that steam diffuser plate 20 may be reversed with smooth side 21 disposed adjacent face 14 of the press plate. In such case, annular burrs or protuberances 15 will function to elevate the unperforated parts of diffusing plate 20 and prevent blocking of the steam.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, steam diffuser plate 2t) may have associated therewith press plate 10 having apertures 12 disposed kat a greater distance from each other. Thus as an extreme, apertures 12 in press plate 10 may have a density of the order of about 125 apertures per square inch of active press plate. Again as in FIG. 3, the diffuser plate 20 may be reversed so that the smooth face 21 of the diffuser plate is disposed against the roughened face of the press plate 10.

VIt has been found that rounded edges 16 on the pressing side of the press plate, these edges bordering the press plate apertures, provide a. graduated region between the aperture and the smooth face of the solid press plate body, this graduated region having a tendency to eliminate plate marks on a fabric.

It will be found that a smooth surface press plate embodying the present invention will operate substantially cooler than a hot head surface. As a result, the pressing temperature will be below the danger point for substantially all fabrics, particularly the synthetic fabrics as Daeron, Orlon, nylon, rayon, as Well as such natural materials as silk and wool. Any lustrous fabric may be pressed in a garment press provided with a press plate embodying theV present invention without imparting any substantial undesirable surface marking or disturbance to the fabric and without substantially impairing the sheen of the fabric.

The finely apertured smooth surface plate has great advantage in combination with a porous or steam permeable sheet of heat-insulating material. Thus referring to FIGURES 7 and 8, there is illustrated press plate 40 having numerous fine apertures 41 therethrough, in back of which there is disposed a layer of steam permeable heat-insulating material 43. Press plate 40 is similar to the press plate previously described in connection with FIGURES 3 and 5. Heat-insulating material or layer 43 may consist of `a thickness of fiber glass or asbestos suitably treated with a waterproofing material to prevent absorption of steam. Thus the asbestos may be treated with resins or other thermosetting materials which will provide a substantially moistureproof sheath or covering around the asbestos fibers. Fiber glass is customarily treated in the same fashion, as is well known.

The fiber glass or asbestos member is formed as a stiff layer disposed against press plate 40. The edge of press plate 40 may be crimped over to lock the heat insulating porous member in position against the same so that the two may function as a unit. Suitable attaching means for the unit may be provided so that the same may be attached to or removed from a garment press head. When so attached, heat-insulating member 43 will be disposed against perforated plate 44 o-f the steam chamber. Perforations 45 are generally about 1/16 or so in diameter and are usually spaced about 1". However, other sizes and spacings may be used.

It is also possible to use the new press plate having ne apertures therethrough and the heat-insulating material described above in connection with FlGURES 7 and 8 in combination with the solid plate of a hot head press. Such a combination is particularly desirable in diffusing steam generated from a moist or wet fabric. Any part of a garment having seams will have more fabric layers and will therefore have a greater amount of moisture. Steam created from such a part will therefore be diffused by the apertured plate.

A unit comprising the nely perforated press plate 40 backed by heat-insulating member 43 when attached to a hot head press is particularly useful where low pressing temperatures are desired. As is well known, a hot head press would have plate 44 solid and unperforated or would have an auxiliary plate for preventing steam from escaping from the steam chamber. It has been found that the insulating member creates a substantial heat differential between the hot head plate and the press plate and thus permits effective control of temperature of the press ing surface.

I claim:

l. A press plate comprising a metal plate having a smooth pressing surface, said metal plate having a large number of small apertures extending therethrough, said apertures being disposed generally uniformly over substantially the entire surface of said plate and being so small and numerous as to have negligible effect upon the pressing surface of said plate and thereby have substantially no visible effect upon a fabric having a surface sheen, said press plate having a surface which is resistant to corrosion, steam and heat, has substantial mechanical strength, and has a surface covering of a plastic.

2. A press plate comprising a metal plate having a smooth pressing surface, said metal plate having a large number of small apertures extending therethrough, said apertures being disposed generally yuniformly over substantially the entire surface of said plate and being so small and numerous as to have negligible effect upon the pressing surface of said plate and thereby have substantially no visible effect upon a fabric having a surface sheen, said press plate having a surface which is resistant to corrosion, steam and heat, has substantial mechanical strength, and has a surface formed of a heat-resistant paint.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,839,553 Heighes Ian. 5, 1932 2,482,412 Gershon Sept. 20, 1949 2,486,740 Freeman Nov. l, 1949 2,490,981 Reiss et al Dec. 13, 1949 2,562,118 Osdal July 24, 1951 2,570,110 Glatt Oct. 2, i951 2,632,968 Ray Mar. 2l, 1953 2,674,053 Hoffman Apr. 6, 1954 2,711,974 Happe June 28, 1955 2,743,541 Schultz May 1, 1,956

FOREIGN PATENTS 9,787 Great Britain July 5, 1888 

1. A PRESS PLATE COMPRISING A METAL PLATE HAVING A SMOOTH PRESSING SURFACE,SAID METAL PLATE HAVING A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL APERTURES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, SAID APERTURES BEING DISPOSED GENERALLY UNIFORMLY OVER SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF SAID PLATE AND BEING SO SMALL AND NUMEROUS AS TO HAVE NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT UPON THE PRESSING SURFACE OF SAID PLATE AND THEREBY HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY NO VISIBLE EFFECT UPON A FABRIC HAVING A SURFACE SHEEN, SAID PRESS PLATE HAVING A SURFACE WHICH IS RESISTANT TO CORROSION, STEAM AND HEAT HAS SUBSTANTIAL MECHANICAL STRENGTH, AND HAS A SURFACE COVERING OF A PLASTIC. 